Big Ideas Can citizen juries put the people back in democracy?
Jul 10, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Jay Weatherill, former South Australian Premier and Director of Democracy at the McKinnon Foundation, joins Simon Birmingham, former Liberal Senator, and Emma Fletcher, co-CEO of Democracy Co. They explore citizen juries' potential to revitalize Australian democracy amid decision deadlock. The guests share personal anecdotes on fostering public engagement, the significance of diverse voices, and strategies to enhance deliberative processes. Their insights illustrate how citizen juries can tackle complex societal issues and promote effective governance.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Desire for Continuous Democratic Voice
- Citizens want their voices seriously considered, not just at elections but continuously.
- They want democratic processes that respect their views and offer meaningful engagement between elections.
From Opinion to Mature Judgment
- Mature public judgment results from informed dialogue and debate, not initial opinions.
- Citizens' juries facilitate moving from raw public opinion to quality, considered public judgment.
Citizens Juries Fill Media Gaps
- Changing media landscape has fragmented public discourse and reduced ethical editorial curation.
- Citizens' assemblies can partly fill the deliberative role once played by traditional media.